Work fixing clamp system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a clamp system for securing a workpiece. The structure of oil paths formed in a base plate is simplified while maintaining good guiding ability of a piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder. Also, the ratio of the work area relative to the surface of the base plate is increased.  
     Hydraulic clamp devices ( 3, 4 ) include: main cylinder units ( 30, 50 ) mounted vertically in a base plate ( 2 ); output members ( 31, 51 ) including piston rods ( 32, 52 ) extending from the main cylinder units ( 30, 50 ) toward the surface of the base plate ( 2 ); guide members ( 34, 54 ) disengageably secured to the surface of the base plate ( 2 ) and guiding the piston rods ( 32, 52 ) so that they can be moved back and forth; and rod-side cylinder end walls ( 41, 61 ) of the main cylinder units ( 30, 50 ) disengageably secured to the base plate ( 2 ). First oil paths ( 10, 11 ) formed in the wall of the base plate ( 2 ) supply hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device ( 7 ) to the main cylinder units ( 30, 50 ) of the plurality of clamp devices ( 3, 4 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a clamp system for securing a work piece that removably secures a workpiece on a base plate using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device wherein main cylinder units of a plurality of clamp devices are built into a base plate, with hydraulic pressure being provided to these main cylinder units via hydraulic paths formed in the walls of the base plate.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

[0002] Referring to FIG. 12, standard clamp systems for securing workpieces conventionally include a base plate 200 and a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices 210 attached to the base plate 200. These clamp devices 210 disengageably secure a workpiece Wa mounted on the base plate 200. Various machining operations and the like can then be performed on the workpiece Wa.

[0003] The clamp device 210 includes: a main cylinder unit 211; an output member 212 including a piston rod 213 extending upward from the main cylinder unit 211 and an arm 214 secured to the end of the piston rod 213; and a guide member 215 forming a rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit 211 and guiding the piston rod 213 so that it can be raised and lowered. The guide member 215 is connected to a hydraulic hose and a hydraulic pipe 216. The hydraulic pipe 216 supplies hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pressure supply device to the main cylinder unit 211. The piston rod 213 is then lowered, and the arm 214 presses a clamping point of the workpiece Wa to the receiving base 202 of the base plate, thus clamping the workpiece Wa.

[0004] In the clamp device 210 on the left, the main cylinder unit 211 is fitted inside an attachment hole 201 formed in the base plate 200 and secured with a bolt 217. In the right clamp device 210, a base plate 218 is interposed between the main cylinder unit 211 and the base plate 200, the main cylinder unit 211 is secured to the base plate 200 via the base plate 218 and the bolt 219. By using base plates with various thicknesses, the clamping height ranges for the clamping points, determined by the size and shape of the workpiece Wa, can be adjusted.

[0005] This clamping device 210 is a horizontally pivoting clamping device that pivots the arm 214 approximately 90 degrees in tandem with the back and forth motion of the piston rod 213 in order to prevent the arm 214 from being in the way when mounting the workpiece Wa or moving the base plate 200. Besides this horizontally pivoting clamp device 210, various other clamp devices can be used such as vertically pivoting clamp devices that pivot the arm vertically in tandem with the motion of the piston rod. These clamp devices can be used as clamp devices in clamp systems.

[0006] Referring to FIG. 13, in this clamp system, a main cylinder unit 221 of a clamp device 220 is fitted inside a base plate 230 and secured. A flange 222 (guide member) abuts the upper surface of the base plate 230, and a hydraulic port 223 is formed at the bottom end of the flange 222. In order to supply hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pressure supply device to the main cylinder unit 221, a vertical oil path 231 connected to the hydraulic port 223 and a horizontal oil path 232 connected to this oil path 231 are formed in the base plate 230.

[0007] Referring to FIG. 14, in this clamp system, the clamp device 220 is secured to a base plate 235 by having a single spacer 225 interposed between the flange 222 of the main cylinder unit 221 and the base plate 235. This spacer 225 is formed with an oil path 226 connected to the hydraulic port 223 of the main cylinder unit 221. A hydraulic pipe 236 extending from the hydraulic pressure supply device is connected to the base plate 235, and a hydraulic port 227 at the bottom end of the oil path 226 is connected to an oil path 237 formed in the base plate 235 so that it extends upward from where it connects with the hydraulic pipe 236.

[0008] Referring to FIG. 15, in this clamp system, the clamp device is secured to a base plate 240 by having two spacers 225 interposed between the flange 222 of the main cylinder unit 221 and the base plate 240. Oil paths 226 of the two spacers 250 are connected, and the base plate 240 is formed with a vertical oil path 241 connected to the hydraulic port 227 at the bottom end of the oil path 226 of the lower spacer 225 and a horizontal oil path 242 connected to this oil path 241. Referring to FIG. 13 through FIG. 15, in these clamp systems, the number of spacers 225 and the lengths of the spacers can be used to adjust the heights at which clamping points are to be clamped, as determined by the size and shape of the workpiece.

[0009] Referring to FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, a plurality of clamp devices 250 is disposed along the edge of a base plate 260. A pair of hydraulic ports 252, 253 is formed at the bottom end of the flange 251 of each clamp device 250. Inside the base plate 260 are formed: a clamping oil path 261 connected to the hydraulic port 252 of the plurality of clamp devices 250 to provide a clamping operations for the plurality of clamp devices 252; and an unclamping oil path 265 connected to the hydraulic ports 253 of the plurality of clamp devices 250 to release the clamped state of the plurality of clamp devices 250.

[0010] The clamping oil path 261 and the unclamping oil path 265 each include: shared oil paths 262, 266 extending linearly in a horizontal direction parallel to the plurality of clamp devices; a plurality of oil paths 263, 267 extending horizontally toward the plurality of clamp devices 250 from the shared oil paths 262, 266; and a plurality of oil paths 264, 268 oriented perpendicularly and connecting the oil paths 263, 267 and the plurality of hydraulic ports 252, 253.

[0011] It would be desirable to have compact dimensions for the base plate used to secure a workpiece having a predetermined size and shape with a plurality of clamp devices, and it would be desirable to increase the proportion of the work area on the upper surface of the base plate. This would allow, for example, a base plate on which a workpiece is secured by a plurality of clamp devices to be transported to a processing station so that the workpiece can be machined or the like. The more compact the base plate can be made, the more compact the machining tool (the mounting zone of the base plate) can be made, and the transporting means for transporting the base plate can be simplified.

[0012] Referring to FIG. 12, in this clamp system, however, the guide members of the main cylinder units arranged on the base plate make the base plate larger due to the need to connect the hydraulic pipes. Thus making the base plate more compact and increase the work area ratio is difficult.

[0013] Furthermore, since hydraulic pipes must be connected to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices in order to supply hydraulic pressure, the structure of the clamp system is made more complex, and production costs are increased. Also, the system may go down if the hydraulic pipes extending from the clamp devices are damages. Also, the hydraulic pipes may be in the way when transporting the base plate. If a double-action hydraulic clamp device is used, a large number of hydraulic pipes will be used, further increasing the problems.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 13 and FIG. 15, in this clamp system, the hydraulic port of the clamp device is disposed below the spacer and flange abutting the upper surface of the base plate. Thus, horizontal oil paths and vertical oil paths must be formed inside the base plate. This makes the structure of the oil paths more complex and involve complicated design and processing operations.

[0015] Also, oil paths must be formed in the height-adjustment spacers as well. When these spacers are used, there may be oil leakage from the connection points of the oil paths of the spacers. Referring to FIG. 14, in this clamp system, hydraulic pipes must be provided to supply hydraulic pressure to the clamp devices, thus leading to problems similar to those of the clamp system from FIG. 12.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, with regard to the clamping oil paths and the unclamping oil paths in this clamp system, the plurality of clamp devices must be provided with shared linear oil paths as well as horizontal oil paths and vertical oil paths to connect the clamp devices to the shared oil paths. As a result, the structure of the oil paths becomes very complex. Furthermore, the design and processing operations must take into account interference between the clamping oil paths and the unclamping oil paths, making the operations very complex.

[0017] Also, if the clamp devices are disposed around the edges of the base plate, a relatively large space is required to form the oil paths at the edges for the clamp devices. Thus, the base plate cannot be made compact and the work area ratio cannot be increased.

[0018] In the hydraulic clamp devices from these various conventional clamp systems, the piston rods are guided using a rod-side cylinder end wall that is not very thick. Thus, when the piston rod is to be extended, the provided guiding ability is not adequate, which can tend to produce elastic deformation in the piston rod. Also, the piston rod cannot be adequately protected from debris from machining and other external dust.

[0019] The object of the present invention is to provide a clamp system for securing a workpiece wherein: the structure of oil paths formed in a base plate is simplified; guiding ability and protection for a piston rod of a hydraulic is improved; the work area ratio on the surface of the base plate is increased; the structure of the clamp system for securing a workpiece is simplified; and the workpiece is supported from behind against the base plate in a simple and reliable manner so that flexure, vibration, and the like of the workpiece during machining operations can be reliably prevented.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present invention provides a clamp system for disengageably securing a workpiece using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices. A thick base plate is disposed to allow the plurality of clamp devices to be mounted. Each of the hydraulic clamp devices include: a main cylinder unit disposed in a wall of the base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of the base plate; an output member including a piston rod extending from the main cylinder unit toward a surface of the base plate; a guide member disengageably secured to the surface of the base plate and guiding the piston rod to allow forward and back motion, the guide member covering a major portion of the piston rod projecting out from the base plate surface while not obstructing clamping operations of the output member; a rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit disengageably secured to the base plate. A first oil path is formed in the wall of the base plate to supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices.

[0021] The output members of the plurality of clamp devices are put in a standby state and the workpiece is mounted on the base plate. Once the workpiece is mounted on the base plate and aligned to a predetermined position, hydraulic pressure is sent from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices via the first oil path formed in the wall of the base plate. This drives the piston rods of the clamp devices, and the workpiece is pressed against and secured to the base plate by the plurality of output members including the piston rods.

[0022] The guide member, which covers the majority of the portion of the piston rod projecting out from the base plate surface while not obstructing the clamping action of the output member, guides the piston rod so that it can move back and forth and allows the output member to reliably press and clamp the workpiece against the base plate. Since the guide member covers the majority of the projected portion of the piston rod, elastic deformation of the piston rod during the clamped state is prevented and deformation of the workpiece is prevented. Furthermore, the piston rod is protected from external dust such as debris from machining.

[0023] The guide member and the rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit are disengageably secured to the base plate. The guide member and the rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit can be disengaged and replaced with other piston rods and guide members. Thus, for each clamp device, a guide member and a piston rod having the length (height) appropriate for the clamping position based on the shape and size of the workpiece can be provided, thus allowing adjustments to be made easily.

[0024] In particular, the main cylinder units of the clamp devices are mounted in the wall of the base plate along the thickness axis of the base plate. The first oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices are formed inside the wall of the base plate. As a result, the wall of the base plate can be used effectively as a section of the main cylinder unit. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the plurality of clamp devices can be simplified, and the design and processing operations can be simplified.

[0025] The hydraulic port of the main cylinder unit can be formed in the wall of the base plate parallel to the base plate, and the first oil path can be connected to the main cylinder unit using a simple oil path that is parallel to the base plate. This eliminates the need to form oil paths in the base plate, the main cylinder unit, and the guide member that are oriented along the thickness axis of the guide member. Thus, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the plurality of clamp devices can be made simple.

[0026] If the clamp devices are to be disposed at the edges of the base plate, there is no need to form the first oil path further out toward the edge than the clamp device. This eliminates the need for the corresponding space. Since there is no need to connect hydraulic pipes to the guide member, the guide member can be made more compact. As a result, the required area (i.e., the planar size) of the base plate can be made as compact as possible and the work area ratio on the upper surface of the base plate can be increased.

[0027] A plurality of support devices can be disposed to support the workpiece, which is clamped by the plurality of clamp devices, onto the base plate from behind. In this case, the support devices include: a main cylinder unit disposed inside the wall of the base plate along the thickness axis of the base plate; and a support member including a piston rod extending toward the surface of the base plate from the main cylinder unit. A second oil path is formed in the wall of the base plate to supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of support devices.

[0028] In this case, after clamping the workpiece to the base plate with the plurality of clamp devices, the piston rods of the support devices are projected and the ends of the support members are abutted against the support points of the workpiece. Then, the support members are locked to prevent them from moving forward or back and this state is maintained. By using the plurality of support devices to simply and reliably support the workpiece, which is clamped by the plurality of clamp devices, against the base plate from behind, flexure, vibration, and the like of the workpiece during machining can be prevented and processing precision can be improved.

[0029] Furthermore, the wall os the base plate can be used effectively as part of the main cylinder unit. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the main cylinder units of the plurality of support devices can be simplified.

[0030] Furthermore, a hydraulic pressure booster can be disposed on the base plate to increase the hydraulic pressure received from hydraulic pressure supplying means and supplying the pressure to the plurality of support devices via the second oil path. In this case, hydraulic pipes for supplying the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure booster can be eliminated, thus simplifying the structure and reducing production costs.

[0031] The main cylinder unit of the hydraulic pressure booster can also be disposed in the wall of the base plate. In this case, a section of the base plate can be used effectively as a section of the main cylinder unit. This simplifies the structure of the hydraulic pressure booster and allows the base plate to be a structure that can be easily transported. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the support device from the hydraulic pressure booster can be simplified.

[0032] In the hydraulic clamp device described above, a pivoting mechanism may be disposed on the main cylinder unit so that the piston rod is pivoted back and forth approximately 90 degrees in tandem with the action of the piston rod. In this case, the output member can be pivoted 90 degrees from the clamping position when mounting the workpiece to the base plate or when moving the base plate so that the output member, including the piston rod, does not get in the way.

[0033] Also, the hydraulic clamp device can include a pivot arm with an output member pivotably supported at a pivot point. A support link member supporting this pivot point is connected to the guide member. In this case, the pivot arm can be pivoted from the clamp position when mounting the workpiece to the base plate or moving it from the base plate so that the output member does not get in the way of the pivot arm.

[0034] In the first oil path described above, the oil path section connected to the main cylinder unit of the hydraulic clamp device can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. Thus, a majority of the first oil path including this oil path section can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. This simplifies the structure of the first oil path and simplifies design and processing. The plurality of hydraulic clamp devices can be connected in series via the first oil path, and, in this case, the structure of the first oil path can be made even more simple.

[0035] Also, in the first oil paths, the oil path sections connecting at least the main cylinder units of the hydraulic clamp devices of the same type can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. Since a majority of the first oil path can be formed parallel to the surface, the structure of the first oil path can be simplified and design and processing can be simplified. Furthermore, if the hydraulic clamp device is disposed near the edge of the base plate, the space required for forming the first oil path at the edge of the base plate for the clamp device is not needed, allowing the base plate to be made more compact and allowing the work area ratio to be increased. The plurality of hydraulic clamp devices can be connected in series via the first oil path, and this can further simplify the structure of the first oil path.

[0036] The first oil path includes: a clamping oil path for clamping the plurality of clamp devices; and an unclamping oil path for releasing the clamped state of the plurality of clamp devices. These clamping oil paths and unclamping oil paths can be arranged separated from each other along the axis perpendicular to the surface of the base plate. The space along the axis parallel to the surface of the base plate used to form the first oil path can be made compact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037]FIG. 1 is a partially cut away vertical cross-section drawing of a clamp system according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front.

[0038]FIG. 2 is a plan drawing of the main elements of the clamp system from FIG. 1.

[0039]FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a vertically pivoting link clamp device, a base plate, and the like.

[0040]FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a horizontally pivoting swing clamp device, a base plate, and the like.

[0041]FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a support device, a base plate, and the like.

[0042]FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a hydraulic pressure supply device.

[0043]FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a clamp device, a base plate, and the like from a first alternative embodiment.

[0044]FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a base plate of a clamp device and the like from a second alternative embodiment.

[0045]FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a support device, a booster, a base plate, and the like from a third alternative embodiment.

[0046]FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section drawing of a booster, a base plate, and the like from a fourth alternative embodiment.

[0047]FIG. 11 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a hydraulic pressure supply device according to a fifth alternative embodiment.

[0048]FIG. 12 is a front-view drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

[0049]FIG. 13 is a partial front-view drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

[0050]FIG. 14 is a partial front-view drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

[0051]FIG. 15 is a partial front-view drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

[0052]FIG. 16 is a schematic plan drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

[0053]FIG. 17 is a schematic vertical cross-section drawing of a clamp system according to a conventional technology.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0054] Referring to the figures, the following is a description of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0055] This embodiment is an example wherein the present invention is implemented in a clamp system for securing a workpiece that removably secures a workpiece on a base plate using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices. In this clamp system, the base plate is oriented horizontally. In the following description, references to up/down/left/right will be based on the directions relative to FIG. 1.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a workpiece-securing clamp system 1 (hereinafter referred to as the clamp system 1) includes: a thick base plate 2 (e.g., a base plate 2 having a predetermined thickness of approximately 4 to 8 cm) equipped with a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices 3, 4 for securing a workpiece W; a plurality of vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device 3 and a plurality of horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp devices 4 mounted on the base plate 2; a plurality of support devices 5, 6 mounted on the base plate 2; a hydraulic pressure supply device 7 supplying hydraulic pressure to the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 and the plurality of support devices 5, 6; a hydraulic pressure booster 8 taking the hydraulic pressure (e.g., 7 MPa) from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 and increasing (e.g., to 25 MPa) and supplying it to the plurality of support devices 5, 6.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, main cylinder units 30, 50 of the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 and the main cylinder units 70 of the plurality of support devices 5, 6 are disposed inside the walls of the base plate 2 with a vertical orientation (along the thickness axis of the base plate 2).

[0058] First oil paths 10, 11 for supplying hydraulic pressure to the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 and second oil paths 12, 13 for supplying hydraulic pressure to the main cylinder units 70 of the plurality of support devices 5, 6 from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 are formed inside the walls of the base plate 2.

[0059] The first oil paths 10, 11 include clamping oil paths 10 for clamping the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 and unclamping oil paths 11 for unclamping the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4. In the first oil paths 10, 11, the oil path sections connecting the vertically pivoting clamp devices 3 and the oil path sections connecting the horizontally pivoting clamp devices 4 are formed parallel (horizontal) to the surface of the base plate 2. The clamping oil paths 10 and the unclamping oil paths 11 are formed perpendicular to the surface of the base plate 2 and are formed along a line passing through the centers of the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the clamp devices 3, 4, which are disposed along the edges of the base plate 2.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 3, the vertically pivoting clamp devices 3 include: a main cylinder unit 30 disposed vertically in the walls of the base plate 2; an output member 31 including a piston rod 32 extending up from the main cylinder unit 30 and a pivot arm 33 supported at the end of the piston rod 32 via a pin 32 a; a guide member 34 disengageably secured to the upper surface of the base plate 2 by a bolt (not shown in the figure) and guiding the piston rod 32 so that it can move forward and back; a rod-side cylinder end wall 41 of the main cylinder unit 30 formed integrally with the guide member 34; and a pivot linking mechanism 45 vertically pivoting the pivot arm 33 in tandem with the forward and back motion of the piston rod 32.

[0061] A cylinder hole 3 a of the main cylinder unit 30 is formed directly on the base plate 2. The upper end of the cylinder hole 3 a is covered by the guide member 34. The section of the lower end of the guide member 34 that is inserted in the cylinder hole 3 a and the surrounding are form the rod-side cylinder end wall 41. The main cylinder unit 30 includes: the rod-side cylinder end wall 41; a cylinder-side wall 42 formed by the area of the base plate 2 surrounding the cylinder hole 3 a; and the head-side cylinder end wall 43 secured to the lower end of the base plate 2 and covering the lower end of the cylinder hole 3 a.

[0062] A piston 40 at the bottom end of the piston rod 32 is fitted inside the cylinder hole 3 a so that it can slide vertically between the cylinder end walls 41, 43. An oil chamber 44 a is formed between the piston 40 and the head-side cylinder end wall 43. An oil chamber 44 b is formed between the piston 40 and the rod-side cylinder end wall 41. The oil chamber 44 a is connected to the clamping oil path 10, and the oil chamber 44 b is connected to the unclamping oil path 11. Also shown in the figure are a sealing member 38 a through a sealing member 38 e.

[0063] The pivot linking mechanism 45 includes a pivot linking member 46 pivotably supporting, via a pin 46 a, a pivot point 33 a at a longitudinal central section of the pivot arm 33 of the output member 31. A lower section of the pivot member 47 to the right of the piston rod 32 is screwed into the guide member 34. The base of a support link member 46 is rotatably supported by the upper section of the pivot member 47 via a pin 46 b.

[0064] With this pivot linking mechanism 45, when the piston rod 32 is raised or lowered, the pivot arm 33 pivots around the support point 33 a via the support link member 46. Referring to FIG. 3, when the piston rod 32 is at the uppermost position indicated by the solid line, the pivot arm 33 moves to a horizontal clamping position. Referring to FIG. 3, when the piston rod 32 is at the lowermost position indicated by the dotted line, the pivot arm 33 moves to a recessed position sloping upward approximately 70 degrees from the clamping position.

[0065] An adjustment screw 48 is screwed through the end of the pivot arm 33 and is disengageably secured with a nut 49. When the pivot arm 33 is moved to the clamping position, the lower end of the adjustment screw 48 presses the workpiece W against a pad 2 a secured to the base plate 2. The nut 48 can be loosened and the adjustment screw 48 can be adjusted so that the pivot arm 33 firmly presses the workpiece W against the pad 2 a in the clamping position.

[0066] The guide member 34 is formed so that it covers the majority of the projected section of the piston rod 32 projecting out from the surface of the base plate 2. This prevents the piston rod 32 from obstructing the pivot arm 33 and the like as it is raised and lowered, i.e., obstruction of the clamping operation of the output member 31 is avoided. The guide member 34 is formed to guide the piston rod 32 so that it can move vertically. Since the guide member 34 is formed as tall as possible so that it covers most of the projected section described above while not obstructing the clamping action of the output member 31, good guiding ability is provided and elastic deformation of the piston rod 32 when in the clamped state can be prevented. Furthermore, deformation of the workplace caused by deformation of the piston rod 32 can be prevented, and the piston rod 32 can be protected from external debris such as dust generated by machining of the workpiece.

[0067] Various vertical lengths can be used selectively for the piston rod 32 and the guide member 34 based on the workpiece. The guide member 34 and the piston rod 32 would be formed with lengths appropriate for the heights of the clamping points of the workpiece W, which are determined by the size and shape of the workpiece W. Also, the guide member 34 can be formed as a stack with multiple levels. Also, the rod-side cylinder end wall can be formed as a member separate from the guide member 34. Also, a cylinder hole can be formed in a member fitted to the base plate 2 instead of forming the cylinder hole 3 a directly in the base 2.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 4, the horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamping device 4 includes: the main cylinder unit 50 disposed in the wall of the base plate 2 and oriented vertically (along the thickness axis of the base plate 2); an output member 51 including a piston rod 52 extending upward from the main cylinder unit 50 and a pivot arm 53 connected in a fixed manner to the end of the piston rod 52; a guide member 54 disengageably secured to the surface of the base plate 2 by a bolt (not shown in the figure) and guiding the piston rod 52 so that it can move forward and back; a rod-side cylinder end wall 61 of the main cylinder unit 50 formed integrally with the guide member 54; and a pivoting mechanism 65 pivoting the piston rod 52 in a reciprocating manner approximately 90 degrees horizontally in tandem with the motion of the piston rod 52 disposed on the main cylinder unit 50.

[0069] A cylinder hole 4 a for the main cylinder unit 50 is formed directly in the base plate 2, and the upper end of the cylinder hole 4 a is covered by the guide member 54. The section of the lower end of the guide member 54 that is inserted into the cylinder hole 4 a and the surrounding area form the rod-side cylinder end wall 61. The main cylinder unit 50 includes: the rod-side cylinder end wall 61; a cylinder side wall 62 formed by the walls of the base plate 2 surrounding the cylinder hole 4 a; and a head-side cylinder end wall 63 secured to the lower end of the base plate 2 and covering the lower end of the cylinder hole 4 a.

[0070] The piston 60 at the bottom end of the piston rod 52 is fitted inside the cylinder hole 4 a so that it can slide vertically between the cylinder end walls 61, 63. An oil chamber 64 a is formed between the piston 60 and the rod-side cylinder end wall 61. An oil chamber 64 b is formed between the piston 60 and the head-side cylinder end wall 63. The oil chamber 64 a is connected to the clamping oil path 10, and the oil chamber 64 b is connected to the unclamping oil path 11. Also shown in the figure are a sealing member 58 a through a sealing member 58 f.

[0071] The pivot mechanism 65 includes: a rod member 66 fitted securely inside the lower section of the piston rod 52 so that it cannot turn and extending downward from the piston 60; a plurality (e.g., two) of helical grooves 67 formed vertically on the rod member 66 with a 90 degree twist; a support member 68 secured to the upper end of the head-side cylinder end wall 63; and a plurality (e.g., two) of balls 69 rotatably supported by the support member 68 and engaging with the plurality of helical grooves 67.

[0072] In this pivot mechanism 65, when the piston rod 52 is raised or lowered, the balls 68 guide the helical grooves 67 so that the rod member 66 is raised and lowered in tandem, and the piston rod 52 and the pivot arm 53 (the output member 51) pivot horizontally in a reciprocating manner. Referring to FIG. 4, when the piston rod 52 and the pivot arm 53 are at the lowermost position as indicated by the dotted line, the pivot arm 53 is at the clamping position facing the workpiece W. Referring to FIG. 3, when the piston rod 52 and the pivot arm 53 are at the uppermost position, the pivot arm 53 is at a recessed position where it is raised from the clamping position and turned 90 degrees.

[0073] As with the clamp device 3, the guide member 54 is formed so that it covers the majority of the projected section of the piston rod 52 projecting out from the surface of the base plate 2. This prevents the piston rod 52 from obstructing the pivot arm 53 and the like as it is raised and lowered, i.e., obstruction of the clamping operation of the output member 51 is avoided. This guide member 54 is formed so that the piston rod 52 can move vertically.

[0074] Since the guide member 54 is formed as tall as possible so that it covers most of the projected section described above while not obstructing the clamping action of the output member 51, good guiding ability is provided and elastic deformation of the piston rod 52 when in the clamped state can be prevented. Furthermore, deformation of the workplace caused by deformation of the piston rod 52 can be prevented, and the piston rod 52 can be protected from external debris such as dust generated by machining of the workpiece.

[0075] Various vertical lengths can be used selectively for the piston rod 52 and the guide member 54 based on the workpiece. The guide member 54 and the piston rod 52 would be formed with lengths appropriate for the heights of the clamping points of the workpiece W, which are determined by the size and shape of the workpiece W. Also, the guide member 54 can be formed as a stack with multiple levels. Also, the rod-side cylinder end wall can be formed as a member separate from the guide member 54. Also, a cylinder hole can be formed in a member fitted to the base plate 2 instead of forming the cylinder hole 4 a directly in the base 2.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, the workpiece W is clamped by the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 and the support devices 5, 6 support the workpiece W against the base plate 2 from below. The support device 5 includes: a main cylinder unit 70 disposed in the wall of the base plate 2 and oriented along the thickness axis of the base plate 2; a support member 71 including a piston rod 72 extending above the base plate 2 from the main cylinder unit 70 and a support rod 73 connected to the end of the piston rod 72; and a guide member 74 guiding the support member 71 and disengageably connected to the upper end of the main cylinder unit 70 via a bolt 74 a.

[0077] The main cylinder unit 70 includes at least a cylinder cap 75 and a head-side cylinder end wall 76 secured to the lower end of the cylinder cap 75. The cylinder cap 75 is secured to the upper surface of the base plate 2 by the bolt 74 a and a majority of the head-side cylinder end wall 76 and the cylinder cap 75 are inserted into the cylinder hole 5 a formed in the base plate 2.

[0078] Inside the main cylinder unit 70, an elastic sleeve 77 is slidably fitted to the outside of the piston rod 72. The outer surfaces at the upper and lower ends abut the inner surface of the cylinder cap 75. This elastic sleeve 77 is secured to the cylinder cap 75 by the guide member 74. Most of the elastic sleeve 77 outside of the upper and lower end sections form a thin cylinder section 77 a. An oil chamber 78 is formed between the elastic sleeve 77 including the thin cylinder section 77 a and the cylinder cap 75. The cylinder cap 75 is formed with a ring-shaped oil path 79 a at the outer perimeter section communicating with the oil path 13 and an oil path 79 b connecting the ring-shaped oil path 79 a with the oil chamber 78.

[0079] A threaded hole 72 a is formed from above at the upper section of the piston rod 72. A threaded section 73 a of the support rod 73 is screwed into the threaded hole 72 a. A cylinder 72 b is formed opening downward at the lower section of the piston rod 72. A bolt 80 is inserted from above into a partition wall 72 c partitioning the lower section of the cylinder 72 a [?72 b?] below the threaded hole 72 a. This bolt 80 passes through the center of the cylinder 72 b and extends below it. The threaded section at the lower end is screwed to the piston member 81.

[0080] A cylindrical member 82 slidably fitted inside the cylinder 72 b of the piston rod 72 is secured to the head-side cylinder end wall 76 by the cylinder cap 75. The piston member 81 is slidably fitted inside the cylindrical member 82. An oil chamber 83 is formed by the space surrounded by the head-side cylinder end wall 76, the piston member 81, and the cylindrical member 82. The oil chamber 83 is connected to the second oil path 12 via the oil path 79 c.

[0081] A first compression coil spring 84 a is fitted to the outside of the bolt 80 between the upper ring-shaped wall of the cylindrical member 82 and the piston member 81. A second compression coil spring 84 b is fitted to the outside of the bolt 80 between the partition wall 72 c and the piston member 81. The first compression coil spring 84 a biases the piston member 81 downward, and the second compression coil spring 84 b biases the support member 71 upward relative to the piston member 81 and the bolt 80.

[0082] When hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil chamber 83 via the second oil path 12 in this support device 5, the piston member 81 is driven upward against the biasing from first compression coil spring 84 a. Then, the support member 71 is moved up integrally with the piston member 81 and the bolt 80. Once the end of the support member 71 abuts the lower surface of the workpiece W, the support member 71 stops and the piston member 81 and the bolt 80 move up while compressing the second compression coil spring 84 b.

[0083] Next, the hydraulic pressure increased by the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is supplied to the oil chamber 78 via the second oil path 13. This causes the elastic sleeve 77 to be elastically deformed so that it contracts radially, locking the support member 71 and causing the workpiece W to be supported against the base plate 2 from behind. The heights to be used to support the support points of the workpiece W, determined by the size and shape of the workpiece W, can be adjusted by using appropriate lengths for the support rod 73 and the guide member 74. Also shown are a sealing member 85 a through a sealing member 85 h.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 5, the support device 6 supports the workpiece W from a position lower than that of the support device 5. Thus, in place of the support member 71 and the guide member 74 of the support device 5, the support device 6 includes a support member 86, including a piston rod 72 and a short support rod connected to the end of the piston rod 72, and a guide member 88 associated with the short support rod 87. Otherwise, the structure is identical to that of the support device 5, so identical elements will be assigned the same numerals and the corresponding descriptions will be omitted.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 1, the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is attached in a fixed manner to the bottom of the base plate 2. A hydraulic pressure discharge port 13 a is connected in a fluid-tight manner to the second oil path 13 formed in the base plate 2. The position at which the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is attached to the base plate 2 is not limited to the bottom of the base plate 2. For example, the hydraulic pressure booster 8 can be attached to the side of the base plate 2 or can be attached to the outside of the base plate 2.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 6, the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 includes: a hydraulic pressure pump 92 driven by a motor 91 to generate hydraulic pressure (e.g., 7 MPa); an electromagnetic direction switching valve 93 connected to the hydraulic pressure pump 92 via an oil path 90 a; a first sequence valve 94 activated at a first pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa) and connected to an oil path 90 c extending from the direction switching valve 93 via the oil path 90 b; a check valve 95 disposed in a bypass oil path 90 f of the first sequence valve 94; a second sequence valve 96 activated at a second pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa) and connected to the first sequence valve 94 via an oil path 90 d; and a check valve 97 disposed in a bypass oil path 90 g of the second sequence valve 96.

[0087] The oil path 90 h extending from the direction switching valve 93 and the first oil path 11 of the base plate 2 are connected by a hydraulic pressure pipe 98 a, and the oil path 90 b extending from the direction switching valve 93 and the first oil path 10 of the base plate 2 are connected by a hydraulic pressure pipe 98 b. An oil path 90 i connected to the hydraulic path 90 d and the second oil path 12 of the base plate 2 are connected by a hydraulic pressure pipe 98 c, and the oil path 90 e and the hydraulic pressure booster 8 are connected by a hydraulic pressure pipe 98 d. The hydraulic pressure supply device 7 also includes a control unit (not shown in the figure) controlling the motor 91, the electromagnetic direction switching valve 93, and the like.

[0088] The operations performed by the clamp system 1 and the advantages thereof will be described.

[0089] The direction switching valve 93 of the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 is controlled so that hydraulic pressure is supplied from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 to the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 via the first unclamping hydraulic path 11. This puts the clamp devices 3, 4 in an unclamped state. More specifically, in the vertically pivoting clamp devices 3, the pivot arms 33 pivot to a recessed position at an angle of approximately 70 degrees relative to the clamping position. In the horizontally pivoting clamp devices 4, the pivot arms 53 are moved to a recessed position where they are raised from the clamping position and pivoted 90 degrees. From this state, the workpiece W is mounted on the base plate 2.

[0090] Once the workpiece W is mounted on the base plate 2 and aligned to a predetermined position, the direction switching valve 93 of the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 is switched, and hydraulic pressure is supplied from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 to the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 via the first clamping oil path 10 of the base plate 2. This puts the clamp devices 3, 4 in a clamped state. More specifically, in the vertically pivoting clamp devices 3, the pivot arms 33 are oriented horizontally in a clamping position, where they press the workpiece W against the base plate 2. In the horizontally pivoting clamp devices 4, the pivot arms 53 are lowered toward the workpiece W in a clamping position, where the workpiece W is pressed against the base plate 2.

[0091] In this manner, the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 clamp the workpiece W to the base plate 2. During this time, the hydraulic pressure applied to the first sequence valve 94 from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 does not reach the first pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa). For this reason, the first sequence valve 94 is in a closed state, and hydraulic pressure is not supplied to the oil path 90 d. Once the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 clamp the workpiece W to the base plate 2, the first pressure setting is applied to the first sequence valve 94, and the first sequence valve 94 is opened so that hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil path 90 d.

[0092] When hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil path 90 d via the first sequence valve 94, hydraulic pressure is supplied to the plurality of support devices 5, 6 via the second oil path 12 of the base plate 2. This causes the support members 71, 86 to rise and abut the lower surface of the workpiece W. Up to the point when the support members 71, 86 abut the lower surface of the workpiece W, the hydraulic pressure acting on the second sequence valve 96 in the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 does not reach the second pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa), thus putting the second sequence valve 96 in a closed state with no hydraulic pressure supplied to the oil path 90 e.

[0093] Since the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 clamp the workpiece W to the base plate 2, the second pressure setting acts on the second sequence valve 96 once the support members 71, 86 abut the workpiece W. This causes the second sequence valve 96 to open and hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil path 90 e. When oil pressure is supplied to the hydraulic pressure booster 8, the hydraulic pressure increased by the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is supplied to the plurality of support devices 5, 6 via the second oil path 13 of the base plate 2. Then, the support members 71, 86 of the support devices 5, 6 are locked firmly and the workpiece W clamped by the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 is supported against the base plate 2 from behind. From this state, various machining operations and the like are performed on the workpiece W.

[0094] With this support system 1, the guide members 34, 54, which are formed integrally with the rod-side cylinder end walls 41, 61 of the main cylinder units 30, 50, are able to reliably guide the piston rods 32, 52 so that they can move back and forth, and the workpiece W can be reliably pressed against the base plate 2 with the output members 31, 51 and clamped. The guide members 34, 54 are disengageably secured to the base plate 2, and the guide members 34, 54 can be disengaged and replaced along with the piston rods 32, 52. In the clamp devices 3, 4, this allows easy adjustments to be made by providing guide members and piston rods having appropriate lengths corresponding to clamping positions based on the size and shape of the workpiece W.

[0095] In particular, the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the clamp devices 3, 4 are mounted in the wall of the base plate 2 along the thickness axis of the base plate 2. The first oil paths 10, 11 supplying hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 to the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 are formed inside the wall of the base plate 2. The main cylinder units 30, 50 of the clamp devices 3, 4 are mounted in the wall of the base plate 2 along the thickness axis of the base plate 2. As a result, the hydraulic ports of the main cylinder units 30, 50 can be disposed inside the base plate 2. Thus, in the first oil paths 10, 11, the oil path sections connecting the main cylinder units 30 of the plurality of vertically pivoting clamp devices 3 and the oil path sections connecting the main cylinder units 50 of the plurality of horizontally pivoting clamp devices 4 can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate 2. Furthermore, the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 can be disposed along the edges of the base plate 2. The first oil paths 10, 11 connecting the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the clamp devices 3, 4 can be disposed along a line passing through the centers of the plurality of main cylinder units 30, 50, and the main cylinder units 30, 50 can be connected in series via the first oil paths 10, 11. Furthermore, the clamping oil path 10 and the unclamping oil path 11 are arranged perpendicular to the surface of the base plate 2 so that the first oil paths 10, 11 can be formed with a very simple structure. This makes design and processing easier.

[0096] As a result, there is no need to form the first oil paths 10, 11 at the edges of the clamp devices 3, 4 on the base plate 2, and the need for associated space is eliminated. Also, the guide members 34, 54 do not need to be connected to hydraulic pipes, so the guide members 34, 54 can be made compact along the axis parallel to the surface of the base plate 2. As a result, the base plate 2 can be made as compact as possible for securing workpieces of predetermined sizes and shapes. This increases the proportion of the work area to the upper surface of the base plate 2.

[0097] Since there is no need to provide hydraulic pipes to connect the main cylinder units 30, 50 of the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 and supply hydraulic pressure, the clamp system 1 can be formed with a simple structure and reduced production costs. Since hydraulic pipes for connecting the clamp devices 3, 4 can be omitted, system failures caused by damage to the hydraulic pipes and obstructions to the transporting of base plate 2 due to the hydraulic pipes can be eliminated.

[0098] With the plurality of the support devices 5, 6, once the workpiece W is clamped to the base plate 2 by the plurality of clamp devices 3, 4, the piston rods 72 of the clamp devices 3, 4 are moved back and forth, and the ends of the support members 71, 86 are abutted against the support points of the workpiece W. The support members 71, 86 are locked so that they cannot be moved back and forth and this state is maintained.

[0099] The support members 71, 86 can be moved via the compression spring 84 b relative to the piston member 81, which is raised directly by hydraulic pressure. As a result, the ends of the support members 71, 86 can be reliably abutted against the support points of the workpiece W. Thus, the workpiece W, clamped by plurality of clamp devices 3, 4, can be easily and reliably supported against the base plate 2 from behind by the plurality of support devices 5, 6. This reliably prevents flexure, vibrations, and the like in the workpiece W during machining, thus improving processing precision.

[0100] The main cylinder units 70 of the support devices 5, 6 are mounted in the wall of the base plate 2 along the thickness axis of the base plate 2. This allows the wall of the base plate 2 to be used effectively as a section of the main cylinder units 70. Furthermore, since the second oil paths 12, 13 for supplying hydraulic pressure to the main cylinder units 70 of the plurality of support devices 5, 6 are formed in the wall of the base plate 2, the clamp system 1 can be formed with a very simple structure and production costs can be reduced. Since hydraulic pipes for connecting the support devices 5, 6 are not needed, system failures caused by damage to the hydraulic pipes and obstructions to the transporting of base plate 2 due to the hydraulic pipes can be eliminated.

[0101] Since the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is disposed on the base plate 2 to increase the hydraulic pressure received from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7 and supply it to the plurality of support devices 5, 6 via the second oil path 13, high hydraulic pressure can be supplied to the plurality of support devices 5, 6.

[0102] The output member 31 of the clamp device 3 includes the pivot arm 33 pivotably supported at the pivot point 33 a. The support link member 46 supporting the pivot point 33 a is connected to the guide member 34. A pivot mechanism pivoting the piston rod 52 approximately 90 degrees in tandem with the motion of the piston rod 52 is disposed on the main cylinder unit 50 of the clamp device 4. As a result, the output member 31, 51 do not obstruct the mounting or moving of the workpiece W on the base plate 2.

[0103] Next, alternative embodiments of the clamp system will be described. Elements essentially identical to those of the embodiment above will be assigned identical numerals.

[0104] 1) Alternative Embodiment 1 (FIG. 7)

[0105] A horizontally pivoting clamp device 4A includes: a main cylinder unit 100 mounted in the wall of the base plate 2 along the thickness axis of the base plate 2; an output member 51 including a piston rod 52 extending toward the surface of the base plate 2 from the main cylinder unit 100 and a pivot arm 53 connected in a fixed manner to the end of the piston rod 52; and a guide member 105 disengageably secured to the surface of the base plate 2 and guiding the piston rod 52 so that it can move back and forth. As with the guide members 34, 54, this guide member 105 is formed to be high enough that it can cover the majority of the projected portion of the piston rod 52.

[0106] The main cylinder unit 100 includes: a cylinder camp 101 forming the majority of the main cylinder unit; and a head-side cylinder end wall 102 secured to the lower end of the cylinder cap 101. The majority of this cylinder cap 101 and the head-side cylinder end wall 102 are inserted in the cylinder hole 4 b formed on the base plate 2. An upper wall 101 a of the cylinder cap 101 forms a rod-side cylinder end wall.

[0107] The guide member 105 is secured to the upper surface of the base plate 2 by a bolt, and the cylinder cap 101 is disengageably secured to the base plate 2 via the guide member 105.

[0108] A lower end 106 of the guide member 105 can be used to form all or part of the rod-side cylinder end wall. Also shown are sealing members 107 a-107 h. Also, the cylinder cap 101 and the guide member 105 can be formed integrally. Other structures, operations, and advantages are essentially identical to those of the embodiment described above, and the corresponding descriptions will be omitted.

[0109] 2) Alternative Embodiment 2 (FIG. 8)

[0110] Instead of the cylinder cap 101 and the head-side cylinder end wall 102 and the guide member 105 of the clamp device 4A, this clamp device 4B includes: a cylinder cap 108 having a lower portion forming the head-side cylinder end wall; and a guide member 109 covering the cylinder cap 108 and the top of the cylinder hole 4 b, forming the rod-side cylinder end wall 109 a, and guiding the piston rod 52 so that it can move back and forth. As with the guide members 34, 54 described above, this guide member 109 is formed to be high enough that it can cover the majority of the projected portion of the piston rod 52.

[0111] 3) Alternative Embodiment 3 (FIG. 9)

[0112] In a hydraulic pressure booster 8C used instead of the hydraulic pressure booster 8, the main cylinder unit 110 is mounted in the base plate 2. The main cylinder unit 110 includes: a cylinder cap 111 forming the majority of the main cylinder unit; and a head-side cylinder end wall 112 secured to the bottom end of the cylinder cap 111. A large-diameter piston 113 a of a piston member 113 is slidably fitted inside the head-side cylinder end wall 112 and the cylinder cap 111. An oil chamber 114 is formed between the cylinder cap 111 and the head-side cylinder end wall 112 and the large-diameter piston member 113 a.

[0113] The entirety of the cylinder cap 111 and the upper section of the head-side cylinder end wall 112 are inserted into a hole 8 a formed from below the base plate 2 and secured by a bolt (not shown in the figure). The section of the hole 8 a above the cylinder cap 111 forms a booster chamber 115. A small-diameter piston 113 b of the piston member 113 is projected into this booster chamber 115. This booster chamber 115 is connected to an oil path 13C.

[0114] In a hydraulic pressure supply device 7B, an oil path 117 a from the hydraulic pump (not shown in the figure) is disposed, and a pilot hydraulic switching valve 120 is disposed on the oil path 117 a, and an oil path 117 b connected to the oil path 13C of the base plate 2. A sequence valve 121 is disposed on an oil path 117 c, which connects to a hydraulic supply port 114 a communicating with the oil path 117 a and the oil chamber 114 of the hydraulic booster 8C. A check valve 122 is disposed in a bypass oil path 117 d of the sequence valve 121.

[0115] The plurality of clamp devices 3, 4 clamp the workpiece W to the base plate 2, and the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump is supplied to the support device 5 via the oil path 117 b and the second oil path 13C of the base plate 2. While applying an appropriate load to the support member 71, hydraulic pressure is supplied to the second oil path 12 of the base plate 2 and the support member 71 is raised. The hydraulic pressure is increased when the support member 71 abuts the workpiece W. The sequence valve 121, which had been closed, is opened when the hydraulic pressure releases the first pressure setting, thus causing hydraulic pressure to be supplied to the hydraulic pressure booster 8C. Then, the piston member 113 is activated and the hydraulic pressure is increased in the booster chamber 115. The hydraulic pressure is supplied to the support device 5 via the oil path 13C, and the support member 71 is firmly locked while supporting the workpiece W.

[0116] 4) Alternative Embodiment 4 (FIG. 10)

[0117] In a hydraulic pressure booster 8D, a cylinder cap 111 of the hydraulic pressure booster 8 is eliminated, and a hole is formed in the base plate 2 to mount the main cylinder unit 110D in the wall of the base plate 2. The small-diameter piston 113 b is projected into the booster chamber 115D above the head-side cylinder wall, and the booster chamber 115D is connected to the oil path 13D.

[0118] 5) Alternative Embodiment 5 (FIG. 11)

[0119] A hydraulic pressure supply device 7E includes: a hydraulic pump 132 driven by a motor 131 and generating a hydraulic pressure (e.g., 7 MPa); an electromagnetic switching valve 133 connected to the hydraulic pump 132 via an oil path 130 a; an electromagnetic direction switching valve 134 connected to the hydraulic pump 132 via an oil path 130 b; a sequence valve 135 connected to an oil path 130 d extending from the direction switching valve 134 via the oil path 130 c and activated at a first pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa); and a check valve 136 disposed in a bypass oil path 130 f of the sequence valve 135.

[0120] The oil paths 130 g, 130 h extending from the direction switching valve 133 are connected to the first oil paths 10, 11 of the base plate 2 respectively. An oil path 130 i extending from the oil paths 130 c, 130 d is connected to the second oil path 12 of the base plate 2. The oil path 130 e extending from the sequence valve 135 is connected to the hydraulic booster 8.

[0121] In this hydraulic pressure supply device 7E, when the direction switching valve 134 is switched to release hydraulic pressure, the direction switching valve 133 is controlled, and hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device 7E is supplied to the plurality of clamp devices 3 via the first oil path 10. This causes the clamp devices 3 to be in a clamped state. Once the workpiece W is clamped to the base plate 2 by the plurality of the clamp devices 3, the direction switching valve 134 is controlled and hydraulic pressure is supplied to the oil path 130 c. This causes hydraulic pressure to be supplied to the plurality of support devices 5, 6 via the second oil path 12 of the base plate 2. The support members 71, 86 are raised and abut the lower surface of the workpiece W. Then, the first pressure setting is applied to the sequence valve 135, opening the sequence valve 135 so that hydraulic pressure is supplied to the hydraulic pressure booster 8. The hydraulic pressure booster 8 increases the hydraulic pressure, which is then sent to the plurality of support devices 5, 6 via the second oil path 13 of the base plate 2.

[0122] 6) It would also be possible to have all the plurality of clamp devices mounted on the base plate formed as vertically pivoting clamp devices or horizontally pivoting clamp devices.

[0123] 7) In the vertically pivoting clamp devices, the main cylinder units can be mounted in the wall of the base plate by providing a cylinder cap and head-side cylinder end wall as in the horizontally pivoting clamp 4A from FIG. 8, and inserting the cylinder cap and the head-side cylinder end wall into a cylinder hole formed in the base plate 2.

[0124] 8) Various other clamp devices besides the clamp devices 3, 4, 4A, 4B can be used as the hydraulic clamp devices, and the main cylinder units of these clamp devices can be mounted along the thickness axis of the base plate.

[0125] 9) The clamp device does not have to have the base plate arranged horizontally. Instead, the base plate can be vertical or the like.

[0126] 10) Various other changes may be effected to these embodiments and alternative embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention can also be implemented for various types of clamp systems other than the one described in the embodiment. 

1. In a clamp system for disengageably securing a workpiece using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices, a clamp system wherein: a thick base plate is disposed to allow said plurality of clamp devices to be mounted; each of said hydraulic clamp devices include: a main cylinder unit disposed in a wall of said base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of said base plate; an output member including a piston rod extending from said main cylinder unit toward a surface of said base plate; a guide member disengageably secured to said surface of said base plate and guiding said piston rod to allow forward and back motion, said guide member covering a major portion of said piston rod projecting out from said base plate surface while not obstructing clamping operations of said output member; a rod-side cylinder end wall of said main cylinder unit disengageably secured to said base plate; and a first oil path is formed in said wall of said base plate to supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to said main cylinder units of said plurality of clamp devices.
 2. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in claim 1 wherein: a workpiece clamped by said plurality of clamp devices is supported from behind against said base plate by a plurality of support devices; each of said support devices includes: a main cylinder unit disposed in said wall of said base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of said base plate; a support member including a piston rod extending from said main cylinder unit toward said base plate surface; and a second oil path is formed in said base plate wall to supply hydraulic pressure from said hydraulic pressure supplying means to said main cylinder units of said plurality of support devices.
 3. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a hydraulic pressure booster is disposed on said base plate to increase hydraulic pressure received from said hydraulic pressure supplying means and supplying said hydraulic pressure to said plurality of support devices via said second oil path.
 4. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in claim 3 wherein a main cylinder unit of said hydraulic pressure is disposed inside said base plate wall.
 5. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in any one of claim 1 through claim 4 wherein a pivoting mechanism is disposed on said main cylinder unit of said hydraulic clamp device to pivot said piston tod approximately 90 degrees in a reciprocating manner in tandem with forward and back motion of said piston rod.
 6. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in any one of claim 1 through claim 4 wherein: an output member of said hydraulic clamp device includes a pivot arm with a pivotably supported pivot point; and a pivot point link member supporting said pivot point is connected to said guide member.
 7. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in any one of claim 1 through claim 6 wherein, in said first oil path, an oil path section connected to said main cylinder unit of said hydraulic clamp device is formed parallel to said surface of said base plate.
 8. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in any one of claim 1 through claim 6 wherein, in said first oil path, at least the oil path sections connecting main cylinder units from hydraulic clamp devices of the same type are formed parallel to said surface of said base plate.
 9. A clamp system for securing a workpiece as described in either claim 7 or claim 8 wherein: said first oil path includes: a clamping oil path for clamping said plurality of clamp devices and an unclamping oil path for disengaging a clamped state of said plurality of clamp devices; and said clamping oil path and said unclamping oil path are disposed parallel to each other and separated along an axis perpendicular to said surface of said base plate. 